little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第173章

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highly　impressive；　fond　memory　recalls　an　occasion　in　youth　ere　yet　the
judgment　was　mature　when　Arthur……confirmed　habit……Mr　Clennam……took
me　down　into　an　unused　kitchen　eminent　for　mouldiness　and　proposed　to
secrete　me　there　for　life　and　feed　me　on　what　he　could　hide　from　his
meals　when　he　was　not　at　home　for　the　holidays　and　on　dry　bread　in
disgrace　which　at　that　halcyon　period　too　frequently　occurred；　would
it　be　inconvenient　or　asking　too　much　to　beg　to　be　permitted　to　revive
those　scenes　and　walk　through　the　house？'

Mrs　Clennam；　who　responded　with　a　constrained　grace　to　Mrs　Finching's
good　nature　in　being　there　at　all；　though　her　visit　（before　Arthur's
unexpected　arrival）　was　undoubtedly　an　act　of　pure　good　nature　and　no
self…gratification；　intimated　that　all　the　house　was　open　to　her。　Flora
rose　and　looked　to　Arthur　for　his　escort。　'Certainly；'　said　he；　aloud；
'and　Affery　will　light　us；　I　dare　say。'

Affery　was　excusing　herself　with　'Don't　ask　nothing　of　me；　Arthur！'　when
Mr　Flintwinch　stopped　her　with　'Why　not？　Affery；　what's　the　matter　with
you；　woman？　Why　not；　jade！'　Thus　expostulated　with；　she　came　unwillingly
out　of　her　corner；　resigned　the　toasting…fork　into　one　of　her　husband's
hands；　and　took　the　candlestick　he　offered　from　the　other。

'Go　before；　you　fool！'　said　Jeremiah。　'Are　you　going　up；　or　down；　Mrs
Finching？'

Flora　answered；　'Down。'

'Then　go　before；　and　down；　you　Affery；'　said　Jeremiah。　'And　do　it
properly；　or　I'll　e　rolling　down　the　banisters；　and　tumbling　over
you！'

Affery　headed　the　exploring　party；　Jeremiah　closed　it。　He　had　no
intention　of　leaving　them。　Clennam　looking　back；　and　seeing　him
following　three　stairs　behind；　in　the　coolest　and　most　methodical
manner　exclaimed　in　a　low　voice；　'Is　there　no　getting　rid　of　him！'　Flora
reassured　his　mind　by　replying　promptly；　'Why　though　not　exactly
proper　Arthur　and　a　thing　I　couldn't　think　of　before　a　younger　man　or
a　stranger　still　I　don't　mind　him　if　you　so　particularly　wish　it　and
provided　you'll　have　the　goodness　not　to　take　me　too　tight。'

Wanting　the　heart　to　explain　that　this　was　not　at　all　what　he　meant；
Arthur　extended　his　supporting　arm　round　Flora's　figure。　'Oh　my　goodness
me；'　said　she。　'You　are　very　obedient　indeed　really　and　it's　extremely
honourable　and　gentlemanly　in　you　I　am　sure　but　still　at　the　same　time
if　you　would　like　to　be　a　little　tighter　than　that　I　shouldn't　consider
it　intruding。'

In　this　preposterous　attitude；　unspeakably　at　variance　with　his　anxious
mind；　Clennam　descended　to　the　basement　of　the　house；　finding　that
wherever　it　became　darker　than　elsewhere；　Flora　became　heavier；　and
that　when　the　house　was　lightest　she　was　too。　Returning　from　the　dismal
kitchen　regions；　which　were　as　dreary　as　they　could　be；　Mistress　Affery
passed　with　the　light　into　his　father's　old　room；　and　then　into　the　old
dining…room；　always　passing　on　before　like　a　phantom　that　was　not　to　be
overtaken；　and　neither　turning　nor　answering　when　he　whispered；　'Affery！
I　want　to　speak　to　you！'

In　the　dining…room；　a　sentimental　desire　came　over　Flora　to　look　into
the　dragon　closet　which　had　so　often　swallowed　Arthur　in　the　days　of　his
boyhood……not　improbably　because；　as　a　very　dark　closet；　it　was　a　likely
place　to　be　heavy　in。　Arthur；　fast　subsiding　into　despair；　had　opened
it；　when　a　knock　was　heard　at　the　outer　door。

Mistress　Affery；　with　a　suppressed　cry；　threw　her　apron　over　her　head。

'What？　You　want　another　dose！'　said　Mr　Flintwinch。　'You　shall　have　it；
my　woman；　you　shall　have　a　good　one！　Oh！　You　shall　have　a　sneezer；　you
shall　have　a　teaser！'

'In　the　meantime　is　anybody　going　to　the　door？'　said　Arthur。

'In　the　meantime；　I　am　going　to　the　door；　sir；'　returned　the　old　man　so
savagely；　as　to　render　it　clear　that　in　a　choice　of　difficulties　he　felt
he　must　go；　though　he　would　have　preferred　not　to　go。　'Stay　here　the
while；　all！　Affery；　my　woman；　move　an　inch；　or　speak　a　word　in　your
foolishness；　and　I'll　treble　your　dose！'

The　moment　he　was　gone；　Arthur　released　Mrs　Finching：　with　some
difficulty；　by　reason　of　that　lady　misunderstanding　his　intentions；　and
making　arrangements　with　a　view　to　tightening　instead　of　slackening。

'Affery；　speak　to　me　now！'

'Don't　touch　me；　Arthur！'　she　cried；　shrinking　from　him。　'Don't　e
near　me。　He'll　see　you。　Jeremiah　will。　Don't。'

'He　can't　see　me；'　returned　Arthur；　suiting　the　action　to　the　word；　'if
I　blow　the　candle　out。'

'He'll　hear　you；'　cried　Affery。

'He　can't　hear　me；'　returned　Arthur；　suiting　the　action　to　the　words
again；　'if　I　draw　you　into　this　black　closet；　and　speak　here。

Why　do　you　hide　your　face？'

'Because　I　am　afraid　of　seeing　something。'

'You　can't　be　afraid　of　seeing　anything　in　this　darkness；　Affery。'

'Yes　I　am。　Much　more　than　if　it　was　light。'

'Why　are　you　afraid？'

'Because　the　house　is　full　of　mysteries　and　secrets；　because　it's　full
of　whisperings　and　counsellings；　because　it's　full　of　noises。　There
never　was　such　a　house　for　noises。　I　shall　die　of　'em；　if　Jeremiah　don't
strangle　me　first。　As　I　expect　he　will。'

'I　have　never　heard　any　noises　here；　worth　speaking　of。'

'Ah！　But　you　would；　though；　if　you　lived　in　the　house；　and　was　obliged
to　go　about　it　as　I　am；'　said　Affery；　'and　you'd　feel　that　they　was　so
well　worth　speaking　of；　that　you'd　feel　you　was　nigh　bursting　through
not　being　allowed　to　speak　of　'em。　Here's　Jeremiah！　You'll　get　me
killed。'

'My　good　Affery；　I　solemnly　declare　to　you　that　I　can　see　the　light　of
the　open　door　on　the　pavement　of　the　hall；　and　so　could　you　if　you　would
uncover　your　face　and　look。'

'I　durstn't　do　it；'　said　Affery；　'I　durstn't　never；　Arthur。　I'm　always
blind…folded　when　Jeremiah　an't　a　looking；　and　sometimes　even　when　he
is。'

'He　cannot　shut　the　door　without　my　seeing　him；'　said　Arthur。　'You　are
as　safe　with　me　as　if　he　was　fifty　miles　away。'

（'I　wish　he　was！'　cried　Affery。）

'Affery；　I　want　to　know　what　is　amiss　here；　I　want　some　light　thrown
on　the　secrets　of　this　house。'　'I　tell　you；　Arthur；'　she　interrupted；
'noises　is　the　secrets；　rustlings　and　stealings　about；　tremblings；
treads　overhead　and　treads　underneath。'

'But　those　are　not　all　the　secrets。'

'I　don't　know；'　said　Affery。　'Don't　ask　me　no　more。　Your　old　sweetheart
an't　far　off；　and　she's　a　blabber。'

His　old　sweetheart；　being　in　fact　so　near　at　hand　that　she　was　then
reclining　against　him　in　a　flutter；　a　very　substantial　angle　of
forty…five　degrees；　here　interposed　to　assure　Mistress　Affery　with
greater　earnestness　than　directness　of　asseveration；　that　what　she　heard
should　go　no　further；　but　should　be　kept　inviolate；　'if　on　no　other
account　on　Arthur's……sensible　of　intruding　in　being　too　familiar　Doyce
and　Clennam's。'

'I　make　an　imploring　appeal　to　you；　Affery；　to　you；　one　of　the　few
agreeable　early　remembrances　I　have；　for　my　mother's　sake；　for　your
husband's　sake；　for　my　own；　for　all　our　sakes。　I　am　sure　you　can　tell　me
something　connected　with　the　ing　here　of　this　man；　if　you　will。'

'Why；　then　I'll　tell　you；　Arthur；'　returned　Affery……'Jeremiah's　ing！'

'No；　indeed　he　is　not。　The　door　is　open；　and　he　is　standing　outside；
talking。'

'I'll　tell　you　then；'　said　Affery；　after　listening；　'that　the　first　time
he　ever　e　he　heard　the　noises　his　own　self。　〃What's　that？〃　he　said　to
me。　〃I　don't　know　what　it　is；〃　I　says　to　him；　catching　hold　of　him；
〃but　I　have　heard　it　over　and　over　again。〃　While　I　says　it；　he　stands　a
looking　at　me；　all　of　a　shake；　he　do。'

'Has　he　been　here　often？'

'Only　that　night；　and　the　last　night。'

'What　did　you　see　of　him　on　the　last　night；　after　I　was　gone？'

'Them　two　clever　ones　had　him　all　alone　to　themselves。　Jeremiah　e
a　dancing　at　me　sideways；　after　I　had　let　you　out　（he　always　es　a
dancing　at　me　sideways　when　he's　going　to　hurt　me）；　and　he　said　to　me；
〃Now；　Affery；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　a　ing　behind　you；　my　woman；　and　a　going
to　run　you　up。〃　So　he　took　and　squeezed　the　back　of　my　neck　in　his　hand；
till　it　made　me　open　MY　mouth；　and　then　he　pushed　me　before　him　to　bed；
squeezing　all　the　way。　That's　what　he　calls　running　me　up；　he　do。　Oh；
he's　a　wicked　one！'

'And　did　you　hear　or　see　no　more；　Affery？'

'Don't　I　tell　you　I　was　sent　to　bed；　Arthur！　Here　he　is！'

'I　assure　you　he　is　still　at　the　door。　Those　whisperings　and
counsellings；　Affery；　that　you　have　spoken　of。　What　are　they？'

'How　should　I　know？　Don't　ask　me　nothing　about　'em；　Arthur。　Get　away！'

'But　my　dear　Affery；　unless　I　can　gain　some　insight　into　these　hidden
things；　in　spite　of　your　husband　and　in　spite　of　my　mother；　ruin　will
e　of　it。'

'Don't　ask　me　nothing；'　repeated　Affery。　'I　have　been　in　a　dream　for
ever　so　long。　Go　away；　go　away！'

'You　said　that　before；'　returned　Arthur。　'You　used　the　same　expression
that　night；　at　the　door；　when　I　asked　you　what　was　going　on　here。　What
do　you　mean　by　being　in　a　dream？'

'I　an't　a　going　to　tell　you。　Get　away！　I　shouldn't　tell　you；　if　you　was
by　yourself；　much　less　with　your　old　sweetheart　here。'

It　was　equally　vain　for　Arthur　to　entreat；　and　for　Flora　to　protest。
Affery；　who　had　been　trembling　and　struggling　the　whole　time；　turned　a
deaf　ear　to　all　adjuration；　and　was　b